Oil cleaning device for automotive engines

ABSTRACT

An oil treating device receiving a pressurized flow of oil from an internal combustion engine, the device including a housing within which is journalled a centrifuge cup provided with a multitude of contaminant collection surfaces. A baffle for the centrifuged oil directs the oil along a tortuous path while simultaneously a flow of air is passed over the oil for the evaporation of volatile contaminants. A filter ring in place about a housing of the device filters incoming air which eventually is drawn from the housing to an area of negative pressure associated with the engine. The housing of the device is separable with a closure cap supporting an electric motor having an output shaft in insertable engagement with a centrifuge spindle.

United States Patent [1 1 Leaming Nov. 13, 1973 1 OIL CLEANING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE ENGINES [22] Filed: Feb. 28, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 229,972

[52] US. Cl 210/168, 210/188, 196/112,

196/125, 196/46.1 [51] Int. Cl. F0lm 1/10 [58] Field of Search 196/46, 46.1, 104,

3,627,130 12/1971 Talley et al. 210/78 Primary ExaminerNorman Yudkoff Assistant ExaminerDavid Edward Attorney-James D. Givnan, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT An oil treating device receiving a pressurized flow of oil from an internal combustion engine, the device including a housing within which is journalled a centrifuge cup provided with a multitude of contaminant collection surfaces. A baffle for the centrifuged oil directs the oil along a tortuous path while simultaneously a flow of air is passed over the oil for the evaporation of volatile contaminants. A filter ring in place about a housing of the device filters incoming air which eventually is drawn from the housing to an area of negative pressure associated with the engine. The housing of the device is separable with a closure cap supporting an electric motor having an output shaft in insertable engagement with a centrifuge spindle.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures HEATED OIL PAIENIEDNuv 13 1915 HEATED OIL OIL CLEANING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTIVE ENGINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The instant invention relates to oil treating devices and more particularly to such a device for the constant cleaning of the oil of an automotive engine during engine operation.

Oil for lubricating internal combustion engines becomes contaminated after use to the extent that such must be changed at intervals to prevent excessive engine wear. In addition to the cost and inconvenience of periodic oil changes is the costly replacement of oil filter inserts. These services are necessary not because the oil has lost its lubricity, but rather to prevent engine damage by the matter suspended in it.

Conventional filters as presently used on automotive engines achieve mechanical filtration by passage of oil under pressure through filtering material with the filtering material removing primarily solid contaminants from the oil. Breakdown of the fibrous filtering material, after extended use, permits re-entry into the oil of some of the filtered out contaminants. Further, no provision is made for the removal of condensate or other immiscibles that may form in the oil.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The instant invention is embodied within an oil cleaning device mounted adjacent the engine it serves to receive a constant oil flow which oil flow is subjected to centrifuging and subsequent turbulent passage past an evaporative air flow.

Oil, upon entering the present cleaning device, is exhausted outwardly against the upright wall of a centrifuge member the latter being provided with annular collection surfaces. The centrifuge member discharges oil for impingment upon an inclined surface which directs the oil downwardly for flow over a series of plates having irregular surfaces imparting turbulence of the oil.

An air filter ring admits air to the present device for passage over said turbulent oil flow for the evaporation of volatile impurities released by the oil.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an automotive oil filter requiring less frequency servicing than conventional filters. When servicing is required, components are adapted for complete disassembly and cleaning without the use of special tools. Similarly, an air filter ring is separablefrom the filter housing to facilitate its cleaning or replacement. The periodic costly replacement of disposable filter components is avoided with the present filter. Servicing, when required, maybe performed by one unskilled in the automotive field.

A further advantageous feature of the present invention is the removal of volatile oil impurities the same being added to the fuel air mixture for burning of same by the engine. While crankcase ventilation systems are old in the automotive art, the exhausting of a filter housing to engine intake means is believed to constituted an advantageous feature of the present filter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the present oil cleaning device with fragments broken away for purposes of illustration,

FIG. 2 is a view taken downwardly along line 22 of FIG. 1 and showing a semi-circular portion of an oil baffle,

FIG. 3 is an elevationalview of an air filter ring removed from the air filter housing, and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a modified centrifuge receptacle removed from associated filter structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing wherein applied reference numerals indicate parts similarly identified in the following specification, the reference numeral 10 indicates an oil filter housing, circular in section, for mounted placement on or adjacent an internal combustion engine by a suitable mounting means not shown. As frequent removal of the housing would not be necessary such mounting means may be of a more or less permanent nature.

Housing 10 terminates downwardly in a frustoconical end 11 which centrallymounts a boss 12 within which the lower end of a segmented centrifuge spindle 13 is journalled. Immediately above the frusto-conical end 11 the housing wall defines slot shaped openings 14 for admission of an air flow from an air filter ring indicated generally at 15.

The upper end of housing 10 is slightly enlarged at 10A for reception and support of a combination closure cap and motor support 17. An annularly inclined wall segment at 17A is provided with an oil inlet fitting l8 and a vent 20 the latter formed as a collar for the reception of a conduit end 21. An oil deflector is shown at 19. Centrally disposed on the member 17 is a motor enclosure 22 within which is mounted an electric motor having an output shaft at 23. A flange 22A of the enclosure is secured by a series of fasteners 24. Output shaft 23 includes a squared key 23A for inserted engagement with a corresponding recess 13A formed in the upper end of spindle 13.

The spindle l3 and motor shaft 23 constitute a segmented drive means for a centrifuge cup 25. With continuing attention to cup member 25, the same is slidably engaged with spindle l3 and rests upon a limit stop 26 carried thereby. A sleeve at 27, axially disposed within the cup member, receives the upper portion of spindle 13. Accordingly, centrifuge cup member 25 is mounted for high speed rotation within the filter housing with radially directed loads being imparted to boss '12 and oppositely to bearings associated with the electric motor within enclosure 22. Further, cup member 25 is separable in an axial direction from spindle 13 during servicing. For purposes of collecting solid contaminants a vertically spaced series of rings 30 are provided forming part of the cup member. Flat surfaces at 30A on said rings serve as collection surfaces in conjunction with the inner wall of the cup. Said rings may be modified as seen in FIG. 4 at 30' to provide an inclined surface 30A for particle deposit within a cup 25'.

Contaminated oil is discharged within the cup member via an oil line 31 apertured at 31A for the purpose of oil distribution. Oil line 31 may terminate at fitting 18 or pass therethrough for communication with a delivery oil line segment coming from the engine. Prefera-' bly the engine oil is heated after leaving the engine which heating may be by routing of oil line 31 through a heated chamber not shown. From the foregoing it will be apparent that relatively heavy solid contaminants will be lodged against the internal wall of the centrifuge cup member. As the oil spirals upwardly its solid contaminants will be confined within the areas between rings 30 with a flow of oil moving upwardly and eventually out over the inner periphery 28 of the cup member. The annularly inclined wall segment 17A of the closure cap 17 will cause downward deflection of the centrifuged oil with the oil being deposited on an oil baffle indicated generally at 32 and located within the lower end of filter housing 10. The oil baffle embodies a plurality of oil carrying surfaces 33 all vertically spaced from one another. The baffle 32 is an outside diameter for inserted engagement within the lower end of the housing enabling upward removal of the baffle for servicing purposes.

An outer wall of the oil baffle is indicate at 34 and is provided with elongate openings 34A for registration with corresponding slot-like openings 14 formed in the housing wall. Accordingly, the openings 34A and 14 provide means by which air is admitted into baffle 32 for flow inwardly thereof over aseries of obstructions 36 integral with the surfaces 33 and eventually downwardly through openings 33A therein. The oil after following a turbulent course along and through surfaces 33 passes downwardly from the baffle via the lowermost opening 33A. The flow of oil is such as to thoroughly expose the oil to the incoming air flow entering via baffle openings 34A. Annular barriers 29 restrict oil flow to the path described. Vaporizing of oil contaminants occurs during the circulation of the incoming air past the turbulently flowing oil with the air moving inwardly and upwardly through the baffle and eventually past cup member 25 as shown by the applied arrows. Ultimately the air flow is outward of the housing 10 via vent 20. Conduit 21 at its unseen end is in communication with a negative pressure source such as an engine intake manifold.

The air filter ring, as seen in its entirety in FIG. 3, comprises an outer peripheral wall 37 which, in conjunction with the exterior wall surface 35 of housing 10, defines an air chamber 39 in communication with the interior of housing 10 by means of the earlier described corresponding openings 34A and 14. A filter element 38 is confined within the upper portion of the ring by means of a flange 40. Seals 41 and 42 adjacent the upper and lower ends of the air filter constitute means which additionally serve to provide frictional retention of the air filter ring upon the outer surface of housing 10. Wall openings at 37A admit air to filter element 38 from whence it is exhausted downwardly through chamber 39, past openings 14, 34A into housing 10 under the influence of the negative pressure therewithin. An oil return line is indicated at 44.

For purposes of convenient accessibility I provide a plurality of over-center locks as at 43 which firmly and accurately seat the closure cap 17. Unfastening of the locks 43 permits extraction of the cap from the en- 'larged end of the housingsimultaneously disengaging the spindle and motor output shaft 23. The removal of oil line segment 31, as by detachment at fitting 18, allows upward removal of centrifuge cup 25 and oil baffle 32 for cleaning purposes. The air filter ring is removable for purposes of servicing or replacing air filter element 38. Seals 41 and 42 provide friction tight retention of the air filter ring while also restricting the entering airflow to passage through said filter element.

While I have shown but two embodiments of the invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is desired to be securedunder a Letters Patent is:

I claim:

1 1. An oil cleaning device for an automotive engine,

said device comprising,

a housing including a removable closure cap, said housing in communication with a source of less than atmospheric pressure,

a centrifuge cup including a multitude of vertically spaced annular surfaces for the collection of particle contaminants from the oil,

powered spindle means rotatably mounted within said housing,

oil baffle means located below said centrifuge cup and comprising a plurality of oil bearing surfaces each having oil flow obstructions thereon to impart a tortuous path to oil flowing therepast, and

said baffles and said housing defining openings for the admission of air into the housing for passage across oil following said tortuous path for the evaporation therefrom of volatile contaminants for ultimate discharge of same at the source of reduced atmospheric pressure,

an air filter ring disposed about the exterior of the housing and defining an air chamber in communication with the openings in said housing and those openings in the baffle.

2. An oil cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure cap additionally includes a motor having an output shaft for driving said spindle, said output shaft adapted for axial engagement with the upper end of the spindle, removal of said closure cap and associated components providing access to the remaining internal components of the device for purposes of servicing. 

1. An oil cleaning device for an automotive engine, said device comprising, a housing including a removable closure cap, said housing in communicAtion with a source of less than atmospheric pressure, a centrifuge cup including a multitude of vertically spaced annular surfaces for the collection of particle contaminants from the oil, powered spindle means rotatably mounted within said housing, oil baffle means located below said centrifuge cup and comprising a plurality of oil bearing surfaces each having oil flow obstructions thereon to impart a tortuous path to oil flowing therepast, and said baffles and said housing defining openings for the admission of air into the housing for passage across oil following said tortuous path for the evaporation therefrom of volatile contaminants for ultimate discharge of same at the source of reduced atmospheric pressure, an air filter ring disposed about the exterior of the housing and defining an air chamber in communication with the openings in said housing and those openings in the baffle.
 2. An oil cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure cap additionally includes a motor having an output shaft for driving said spindle, said output shaft adapted for axial engagement with the upper end of the spindle, removal of said closure cap and associated components providing access to the remaining internal components of the device for purposes of servicing. 